I worked in Maintenance for a religious organization that owned a large number of aged care facilities. Even though they were supposedly not for profit they went all out to scam the government for as much money as they could - for example, I once saw a claim for "wandering behavior" in a bed ridden resident so they could claim he had dementia, put him in a locked ward and get extra money.
I became aware that they were paying less than the minimum wage for many of the non nursing staff - a high percentage of house keeping were from overseas and god told them they could get away with it. In my country you can claim back wages for six years and it so happened I was just about to reach that mark and I was thoroughly sick of their hypocrisy.
I scheduled a meeting with the care manager and human resources, in the meeting I requested to be paid the correct wage. After they realized I was not going to back down they agreed to pay me correctly and would back pay me but only if I didn't tell the other employees. I declined and it ended up costing them over $700,000 to back pay everyone - I was recording the conversation and took them to Fairwork (an independent workplace ombudsman).
They made everyone with the same job description as me redundant because they couldn't think of a way to legally fire me and then outsourced maintenance which ended up costing them much more. I took a nice holiday with the redundancy pay and informed on them (with documented proof) to the government aged care regulator for the fraud. They were inspected with a fine tooth comb and two of their flagship homes were put under six months constant government supervision.
Always remember that wage theft is the largest crime wave in history, it is ongoing, and no one ever goes to jail for it.
This is a new law that came into effect in the new year. Wage theft has always been illegal in Norway, but previously didn't usually have consequences. Now stealing wages can land you 6 years in jail.
I know this may not be relevant to most people in this sub who I assume are American, but hopefully it shows that it's possible to get stringent pro-worker legislation where there is a will. The kind where employers don't just get a fine and slap on the wrist, but actually end up serving hard time to violations. This is the future you are looking at if you manage to revive the unions.
With you in solidarity from across the ocean!
Source(Norwegian): https://frifagbevegelse.no/nyheter/na-kommer-den-nye-loven-mot-lonnstyveri-dette-ma-du-vite-6.158.843724.7afcd5de5d
We want to support Pagliacci, but we don't know if wage theft is still going on there. Yes, we saw the photos from today of the wage theft graffiti, but is that graffiti about what was happening before--or is "before" still happening?
Your employer would step over your starving body in the street if it stood between them and profit growth. Fuck em.
My b. Time theft lol.
So I recently got a job as a busser at a relatively nice restaurant (I'd categorize it as a casual semi-fine dining if that's a thing).
This place's application had the position listed as 25-28$ an hour (seattle), and when I went in to interview, I was told verbally told it was a 28-30$ position. But when I got my paycheck last week, it was only 17$ an hour. I know there can be some discrepency in tips, but ~10$ seems a bit much. I reached out to my manager a few days ago about this and he hasn't gotten back to me either.
The reason this has me so upset is because the commute to get there is an hour (more like 2 hours now because snowfall is screwing up the bus schedule) and I had to turn down an offer from a place a lot closer that was 20-25$ an hour.
On top of that, they haven't responded to my asking what the pay schedule is either. They've told me that they pay on the 20th and 6th (which is different from what was listed in the handbook), but I don't know for what periods they pay for. All I know is that I started ~the 4th or 5th and almost a month later, I've only been paid 200$ for my time.
Also, they listed this as a fulltime job (which it wasn't), but after talking to some people I think this is standard practice?
Anyway, I just don't know what's normal or not or if they're doing anything illegal or if they're just being pricks, but due to some bad decisions and some unfortunate circumstances I'm in a bit of a pinch financially and I was wondering if anyone might know what I should do.
Basically the title. I quit my $11 hr job today (walked out) because they were way overloading me. As I walked out my boss told me my last paycheck will be minimum wage. I know it wasnt just a threat because they have done it to other people and my friend currently. My friend did it the right way and put in her two weeks. They told her if shes even 5 minutes late to any of the days in her last two weeks her last paycheck will be reduced to minimum wage as well. How tf is this legal?
Edit: Wow! I didnt expect this to blow up. For all those asking its a privately owned Preschool under the name Primrose. Ive worked for two different ones and they all seem to run a little differently depending on who owns them so I wouldnt say to think badly of all of them. If I gave the full name of mine it would give my location which im not comfortable with. But thank you all for the advice! Im definetly going to follow through with corporate and a lawyer if need be.
Edit #2: All of this so far has been verbal communication. I was wonder if anyone has any advice on how to get it in writing through email or text? Do I just ask them to confirm that this is the policy? Do I ask if I signed anything that consents to this? TIA
Final Edit: My ex boss referred to me to a section in the employee handbook where It states they can do that and I did sign it. Guess im fucked but oh well. Thanks for all the advice
If you know anyone that works there or was working there the past years tell them to double check their payslips and their super !!! A friend of mine was going through her payslips and apparently they 'forgot' to pay the super for more than a year, She asked other employees and it happened to atleast 2 more people so clearly not accidental. Also wage theft they routinely ask stuff to come early/stay late but not pay extra , and last but not least they target overseas students to get to work because (direct quote from when my friend worked there) aussies know their rights....
People don't put up with shitty jobs and shitty managers , you are entitled to whatever you worked for no matter if you're a local or not
Edit 1: forgot to add before the when overseas people couldn't get more than 20hrs they offered a astonishing 15$ cash per hour if they wanted more hours
Edit 2: don't just take my word blindly for it ask people that used to work or still work there , not while they working though they might be afraid of getting fired
Minimum wage theft is only one type of classification of wage theft, among them included overtime wage theft, misclassification wage theft, off the clock work wage theft, illegal deductions from paychecks, not being paid for work, etc.
https://www.rmlegalgroup.com/most-common-types-wage-violations/
https://nclnet.org/wage_theft_six_common_methods/
Why is my labor suddenly worth $2 less while on the road and delivering the products? Even when being paid mileage, that should be going towards savings and used when I need car maintenance, is instead being used as an excuse to pay me less. Is there any way I can convince my manager to pay us fairly?
I’m not the type to deal with personal matters in a public forum, but I think customers deserve to know what kind of business owners they’re supporting, and Will Carithers, the owner of Willy’s Butcher Shop in Bearden, is one to steer clear of.
I worked at Willy’s Butcher Shop for about two weeks back in September. No job or employer is perfect and that was certainly the case here, but I enjoyed the job for the most part. Will wasn’t ever around, but the other guys in the shop were really cool.
My big issue with the owner didn’t come up until I told him that I needed a few days off work to figure out my housing situation. I had been living in a really cool apartment in the Old City, but the landlord informed me that the building was being resold as condos and I’d have to move out within 38 days. Ultimately, if I wasn’t able to find a new place quickly, I’d have to temporarily move back in with my folks, which meant moving back to my home state. It was a pretty inconsiderate thing for the landlord to do, but that’s real estate I guess. Anyway, I told Will I needed a couple days to figure things out. He wasn’t very flexible, and ultimately we decided that we would part ways and that would be the end of my employment there. It sucked because then I had no job OR housing, basically cementing the reality of my move back to my parents house.
Fast forward a few months: Will STILL hasn’t paid me for the time I worked for him. I’ve reached out plenty of times and offered a variety of ways to pay me (check via the mail, direct deposit, even Apple Pay), but he still hasn’t managed to pay me, and is alleging that the postal service just won’t deliver the check, which sounds like a pretty lousy excuse to me. It’s been 82 days since I left: there’s no good excuse at this point.
I realize it wasn’t very long and I was only supposed to be getting $10/hr, so it’s not a ton of money, but for me it’s the principle. Even if it is only a couple hundred dollars, wage theft is wage theft, and no employer should get away with ripping off their near-minimum wage employees.
Please, don’t support Willy’s Butcher Shop.
So here's a story. I show up to open this morning, turns out I read the schedule wrong and I wasn't supposed to be there. We're a man down though so my manager asks me to stay and clock in at 5. Cool, fine. But then she sends me for product so I clock in around 4:30. Then halfway through peak she loses two more people. I stay til 12:45. Now she's texting me and trying to call me because I clocked in before 5. If she makes a big deal of this I will quit on the spot. She was lucky I was there.
A friend of mine recently applied to work at Changing Tides Family Services in Eureka, CA. This agency is forcing all new hires to complete 6 hours of mandatory post-hire training (first aid, blood borne pathogens, and CPR) BEFORE they are officially brought on as a new employee. They stated in an email that they do not and will not pay prospective employees for the hours spent completing this 6 hour mandatory training. This is in DIRECT VIOLATION of California wage laws. If you work for this agency or are considering working for this agency, just know that they are KNOWINGLY and ACTIVELY engaging in wage theft.
Edit:
Since we have someone here who thinks this is incorrect, here is a direct link to the legislation:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=LAB&division=3.&title=&part=&chapter=2.&article=2.
And here are two great informative links that break down the legislation into something easier to digest:
https://www.californiaemploymentlawreport.com/2015/11/fridays-five-the-eleven-factor-test-to-determine-if-training-time-is-compensable-under-california-law/
https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/blog/labor-code-2802/#_ednref6
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!!!
Hi, i am an 18 y/o grocery store worker (whatstore I won't share due to reasons). I've been doing my shifts and getting out later than scheduled, say about 10 to 15 minutes later and ive been told that those minutes do not count as they round back to my sceduled time out, and they round back unless ive been there half an hpur past. Is this wage theft? If so, should i start writing down my in and out times?
From wikipedia:
>Wage theft is the denial of wages or employee benefits rightfully owed to an employee. It can be conducted by employers in various ways, among them failing to pay overtime; violating minimum-wage laws; the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, illegal deductions in pay; forcing employees to work "off the clock", not paying annual leave or holiday entitlements, or simply not paying an employee at all.
Wage theft is a huge issue, far outstripping property theft. In 2012, $341 million was stolen in property, while wage theft was reported at $933 million, and was likely far higher.
Given that theft is a crime and this a huge amount of stolen money, what is the best way to combat wage theft? Current laws and enforcement are obviously not working.
Wage theft is the deliberate withholding of pay owed to employees by their employer. It is a huge problem in the US.
>Survey evidence suggests that wage theft is widespread and costs workers billions of dollars a year. . . A three-city study of workers in low-wage industries found that in any given week, two-thirds experienced at least one pay-related violation. The researchers estimated that the average loss per worker over the course of a year was $2,634, out of total earnings of $17,616.
If a pickpocket stole $1,000, they would go to prison if caught and convicted. When an employer steals $1,000, the employer simply pockets that money.
If an employer deliberately steals from their employees, should the employer be sentenced to prison like any other common criminal?
Quitting over wage theft is a kick in the shins to your employer, at best. Being reported for wage theft is a knife to the gut. Under no circumstance is any form of wage theft legal... not withholding tips, not docking pay as punishment, not withholding promised raises. Doesn't matter where you live, doesn't matter the company policy, doesn't matter what you've signed. Nothing. If they threaten, or actually commit, wage theft.... you smile, say ok, document, and immediately report it to the local labor board. No threats, no discussion. If you have documentation you WILL get that money and it WILL be a huge legal problem for your employer. Even if for whatever reason you're unable to document it, STILL report it.
Get it in writing via email or text, if that's not possible record the convo openly (not secretly) on your phone (do not ask, simply pull it out say you're recording for your records). Be assertive... do not ask, do not threaten...tell. You will almost certainly get an onslaught of opposition, threats, lies, can't record me without my permission, etc. Ignore them, you will be documenting this, no questions asked.
Be explicit with what you write and say. "I want to make sure I understand correctly that $X pay is being withheld for X reason. Correct?". "When should I expect my $X pay to be in my check?" Etc.
Quitting might make you feel empowered short term but ultimately has no real effect on your employer. You can and will be replaced, and no one will care, don't kid yourself. The only way these things change is when the people committing the offences are punished legally.
Uma coisa que tenho visto, estranhamente, os estadunidenses a diiscutir ultimamente tem sido o "wage theft".
Como passamos a vida a importar merdas culturais de lá sem relevância nem mérito nenhum, acho importante importar algo que penso ter um paralelo na nossa sociedade, especialmente numa altura em que parte do patronato chora por afinal não ter direito ao trabalho barato por parte dos seus compatriotas.
Roubo de salário não é só as fábricas que vão à falência sem pagarem meses de ordenado aos seus trabalhadores. Roubo de salário também são as horas extra não remuneradas ilegalmente e o processamento inadequado de salários contra os trabalhadores.
Sabem de estatísticas por terras lusas? No PORDATA não parecem ter nada, nos motores de busca apenas encontrei artigos com 10 anos.
O que sabem sobre o assunto? Que realidade conhecem?
wage theft is by far the most common form of theft it far surpass all other forms of theft.
>Wage theft—employers’ failure to pay workers money they are legally entitled to—affects far more people than more well-known and feared forms of theft such as bank robberies, convenience store robberies, street and highway robberies, and gas station robberies. Employers steal billions of dollars from their employees each year by working them off the clock, by failing to pay the minimum wage, or by cheating them of overtime pay they have a right to receive. Survey research shows that well over two-thirds of low-wage workers have been the victims of wage theft.
https://www.epi.org/publication/wage-theft-bigger-problem-forms-theft-workers/
(Here's a nother good source about wage theft)
https://www.workingnowandthen.com/blog/wage-theft-the-50-billion-crime-against-workers/
I have had wages stolen from my self in the past and was wondering if other people have experienced the same thing.
I work in IT. I work in a salary position where I get to manage my own time and set my own schedule. I work from home. As long as my local locations are happy, and I get my work done thats all that matters. I have no supervisor In my state that micromanages my work. This part of the job is awesome. I've been with this company for 4 years.
At the beginning of this year my Supervisor sent me my new salary by IM after our "excellent" review. My new salary was $14k/yr higher then what I was making! I got SO exited!! With roommates freshly moved out, I was on my own and cost of living being higher I could REALLY use the money.
Two weeks go by, and I get paid. I still do not see this raise reflected on my paystub. My check is a little higher, but not what I expected.
I reach out to my supervisor, and he says "Oh shit I sent you the wrong salary." He sent me a co-workers salary that is in the same position on accident. "This is YOUR salary." It's only 3k higher than what I was making. I was not happy. I'm still not happy. I wanted him to honor his mistake, and give me the raise he sent me before. He exposed unfair pay, now he needed to fix it. He apologized many times "I'm so sorry this happened, and I'll work on your salary" he said. Nothing has happened since then.
The burn out has been real since that talk. I understand I don't have a "bachelors degree" but our job titles are the same. I expect equal pay. Especially if Ive been with the company longer and they like to tell me that I'm: "being considered for a lead position." It's been almost a year and I'm still with the company. I've managed to bullshit doing the bare ass minimum. I no longer go out of my way to help people, or help train the new employees. I rarely go over 25 hours worked a week when I'm expected to work 40. I work the tickets sent to me and I do what's needed. I'm gonna milk this for all I can. If they want me gone, they gotta fire me because I'm not leaving without unemployment benefits, or I'll find another job to fall on that will actually pay me what I want. I've been in the market for a new job just in case something good comes along.
This company brags about record profits "we couldn't have done it without you" yet I lost my home to short sale this year because I couldn't afford to fix/maintain it, and now I'm considering bankruptcy due to all the dept the house made me go into trying to fix it. I don't have any student loans since I never went to college, so I guess I got
... keep reading on reddit ➡Earlier this week I posted about how my workplace had a sign saying "bathroom breaks longer than 5 minutes will be deducted from shift total", and a lot of people suggested reporting them to the Department of Labor, and OSHA. Haven't gotten around to OSHA yet, but the DoL responded with this
"Dear [AtomicSpazz] The employer is not allowed to deduct pay for bathroom breaks so long as they don’t exceed 20 minutes. However, as the state of Delaware is an at-will state, the employer may release employees who abuse the bathroom breaks. The below sections of the law cover in part the withholding of wages.
Chapter 11 WAGE PAYMENT AND COLLECTION § 1107 Withholding of wages. Reads in part: “No employer may withhold or divert any portion of an employee's wages unless: (1) The employer is required or empowered to do so by state or federal law; or (2) The deductions are for medical, surgical or hospital care or service, without financial benefit to the employer, and are openly, clearly and in due course recorded in the employers' books; or (3) The employer has a signed authorization by the employee for deductions for a lawful purpose accruing to the benefit of the employee.”
That's it.
That's everything
I'm not really sure how to push this forward from here :/
